Update from the Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

The second edition of the Guide is supposed to expire on Feb. 28. The new 
Guide just went to the printer and will be mailed out at the end of next 
week. It will arrive about 1 week late, sorry.

I PDF versions of the new Guide will be available soon. I will send out a 
new message when you will be able to download the PDF version. Meanwhile, 
reproduced below is the introductory section of the new Guide, outlining 
the changes. Many of these I send our earlier, some are new.

Y. Herman
**********************************


PREFACE TO PART TWO OF THE GUIDE



MAJOR CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE GUIDE



The next issue of the Guide, the first issue of the new season, to be 
published after the summer, will contain major changes.  These changes are 
the result of our consultation with Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbonim and Mashgichim 
Shlita.  In addition, the format of the Guide will also be greatly revised 
to make it easier to use.



When the printing of the Guide first began, about 33 years ago, we 
initiated the practice of gathering data by consulting companies over the 
telephone.  This was done at that time under the advice of Gedolim ZTL. 
This approach made sense at that time since the concept of Chodosh and 
Yoshon were not known to the Gentile public, and Chodosh was not a 
significant factor for business profits.  Therefore, the principle of 
mesiach lefi tuma was dememed applicable.  Recently, it has become 
increasingly obvious that this principle may no longer be applicable, when 
Chodosh and Yoshon are recognized by Jew and Gentile alike, to be important 
in their business.  Therefore, following the revised guidelines formulated 
by the Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbonim and Mashgichim Shlita whom we consulted, we 
will make the following changes in the Guide, starting with the first issue 
after the summer:
    * We will only list products and establishments as being Yoshon, if 
they either have a hashgocho for Yoshon, or we can determine from 
independent sources that they probably are Yoshon.
    * Consequently, we will no longer list in the Guide any bakery, pizza 
shop, or other establishment, whether run by Jew or Gentile, unless it has 
some certification as being Yoshon.Thus, establishments which have been 
listed until now in categories Ò and Ó will no longer be listed. (This will 
not infer that the establishments without such hashgocho cannot be relied 
upon, however, we will no longer be able to list them, unless they have 
hashgocho for Yoshon.  Consumers may wish to warn their local 
establishments of this forthcoming change.)
    * We will no longer list any wheat product as being Yoshon based solely 
on the testimony of the manufacturer that it is made with winter wheat.
    * We will no longer rely on Chodosh starting dates provided by 
individual manufacturers, unless confirmed by a mashgiach.  In these cases, 
we will substitute general Chodosh dates deduced from data supplied by the 
US Department of Agriculture, and other independent sources.
    * Therefore, all intems listed until now in categories Ò and Ó will no 
longer be listed, unless we have such general independent data to indicated 
that they are Yoshon. (This is already being done in the current issues of 
the Guide for pasta, noodles and some other products.)

The result of all this may be initial inconvenience to the Yoshon 
consumer.  We will do everything in our power to insure that such 
inconvenience is minimized and will be only temporary.  We hope that the 
result of these changes will be to provide the consumer with products that 
are Yoshon based upon more sound halachic considerations.





ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS TO THE SECOND ISSUE OF THE GUIDE



REMINDER:  All items containing malt should not be purchased after Mar. 15, 
unless one checks to make sure that the malt is Yoshon. Check the lists of 
ingredients for malt for cereals, pretzels, candies, cookies, etc where 
malt is used for flavoring or coloring. Exception to this deadline is 
malted barley flour or maltused in baking flour is allowed since it is 
botul, according to the poskim we have consulted.



HAND MATZOS FOR PESACH: We have contacted a number of hand matzos bakeries 
in the New York area.  They all agreed unanimously that all of the wheat 
used for hand matzos, is Yoshon.  It is cut in June and early July, whereas 
the Chodosh cutting in the US does not begin until the end of July.  They 
also stated that spring wheat does not make a good and matzo 
product.  These renewed facts agreed with what we have been told over the 
years when we raised this question..





15th Ave. Food Corporation that sells breads throughout the New York 
metropolitan area in groceries under the names off Sterns, Kohen and New 
York kosher. As of Chanukkah, they were able to acquire a new supply of 
whole wheat flour that is Yoshon. As a result, all their whole wheat 
products are once more Yoshon.



A&B Gefilte Fish and Royal Gefilte Fish are both Yoshon under the hashgocho 
of Rabbi Y. Gold. (So far as we know, all gefilte fish are Yoshon.)



American Roland pasta and cous cous are Yoshon under the hashgocho of the 
Star K of Baltimore.



Arrowhead Mills loose wheat kernels are from winter wheat.



Bestbrand products. A range of Best products are available that are Yoshon 
under the hashgocho of Rav Gruber. These include white flour, whole wheat 
flour, light wheat flour, spelt flour, spaghetti, macaroni and 
spirals.  Other items may be added later. All with Yoshon label only.



Bordens Old London and Devonsheer melba toast. The new dating code for Aug 
15 is 0522761 (05=not important, 227=day of the year, 6=year+1, 1=not 
important.)



Btam Yoshon bread crumbs in large, 25 pound bags are available. They have 
the hashgocho of the Badatz of Yerushalaim. Call 908-862-8200.



Con Agra Harvest all purpose flour with CC in the dating code is from 
winter wheat.



Diari pasta and cous cous are Yoshon under the hashgocho of the Star K of 
Baltimore.



Dr. Praeger breaded fish products and fish cakes, all varieties, are always 
Yoshon as stated in the Guide.  Dr. Praeger's veggie burgers, vegetable 
pancakes, and Nuggets contain some oat bran.  All packages with codes such 
as L05AE use Yoshon oat bran.  However packages with the code of W05, where 
W is the first letter, contain Chodosh oat bran.



Eagle Bakery, address correction: 3801 13th Ave., Brooklyn, New York.



Eden Soy Light soy milk. The date on the package is 1 year after packing. 
For barley in the ingredients (not malt) use Oct 1 06 as the Chodosh date. 
For barley malt, use Jan 15 07.



Em Zee Fruit Flicks are Yoshon.



Everything Spelt Bakery in Monsey.  All items are Yoshon at all times, 
including items containing oats.  Under the hashgocho of Rav Weissmandl.



Gefen Rice Milk is Yoshon. Gefen soups in cups and the pancake mix are 
Yoshon. All Gefen pasta and noodle products have a Chodosh code of 05233 
(05=year, 233=day of the year.) Gefen Tam Tam crackers are Yoshon, 
including malt, at least until a purchase date of mid March.





General Mills Reeses Puffs cereal. Use the codes for 248 days given in the 
table in the Guide. General Mills Total cereals have a date that is 310 
days after packing.



Glick Graham pie crust is Yoshon.



Gustoro cous cous is Yoshon under the hashgocho of the Star K of Baltimore.

Kemach updates: Kemach spelt matzos come from Israel and are Yoshon. The 
malt in the cereals will be Chodosh starting with the code of Feb.21 2007 
(1 year after packing). The Wheat Flour and Wheat Starch in the Choco 
Chippers cereal is from Winter Wheat. All Kemach Egg Noodles must say 
Yoshonstarting in February to be considered Yoshon.    Vegetable Soup mix 
is Chodosh starting with a code (for Nov 22, 2005) of 3287 (328=day of the 
year, 7=year+2).   Minestrone Soup Mix is Chodosh starting with a code of 
0178 (see code above). Snacker Crackers and Graham Crackers may contain 
Chodosh malt starting a code of 015 (day of the year, other letters not 
important.)  There were some problems with worms in several batches of 
Kemach bread flour. That flour has been withdrawn from the market.  The 
supplier which provided that problematic flour has been replaced with a new 
flour supplier that is milling freshly milled flour from Yoshon 
wheat.  Therefore we do not anticipate any further worm problems with 
Kemach flour. The old flour had a code on it that is not a simple date. If 
any of those are found they should be sifted.  The new flour bags can be 
recognized by a regular date: month, day and year, stamped on the top of 
the bag.  The same new supplier is also making available freshly milled 
Kemach Yoshon whole wheat flour in 2 pound bags.  There is no malt in whole 
wheat flour which is always Yoshon. Kemach flours, other than whole wheat, 
may contain some Chodosh malt starting with a package date of September 15, 
2007.

Kikkoman teriyaki sauce is listed in the Guide as being Yoshon. Apparently 
this product lost its kosher supervision. In that case, of course, it is 
not recommended at all.



King Arthur pastry wheat flour uses winter wheat only. The white whole 
wheat flour uses spring wheat, despite the label claiming that it uses only 
winter wheat. King Arthur regular whole wheat flour and stone ground whole 
wheat flour also use spring wheat, Chodosh date Aug 15 code 08 15 06 (1 
year after packing.)



Kinneret and Kosherific frozen chalehs, latke mixes and fish sticks are 
Yoshon until pesach Kinneret onion rings are now Chodosh. Cookie dough 
mixes are not recommended due to insufficient information.



Kosher Gourmet produces frozen hospital food packages.  These are all 
Yoshon, without hashgocho for Yoshon.



Liebers brownies are probably Chodosh at this time. Liebers graham and 
saltine crackers may contain a small amount of barley malt that is Chodosh 
starting at this time according to the mashgiach.



Lipton herbal teas may contain wheat in the ingredients. If there is wheat 
in the ingredients, then the Chodosh code for Aug 15 is 5H15 (5=year, H=Aug 
in alph. order with A=Jan and X=Sept, 15=date).



Manischewitz Tam Tam crackers are Yoshon, including malt, at least until a 
purchase date of mid March.



Mishpacha noodles and pasta are all Yoshon.  The orzo does not have a 
Yoshon label, but it also is Yoshon without the label. Yoshon under the 
hashgocho of Rabbi Teitelbaum, the Nirbarter Rav.



Paskesz Encore candy under the hashgocho of Rabbi Westheim is Yoshon.



Pizza Mizza, 305 Ave. K., Brooklyn, New York, telephone 718-692-2800. 
Everything in the store is Yoshon. No hashgocho for Yoshon.



Primoro pasta and cous cous are Yoshon under the hashgocho of the Star K of 
Baltimore.



Rokeach homontashen by Daves Cookies are probably Chodosh at this time.



Spencer Catering, 7601 147th St, St, Flushing New York (Yeshiva Chofetz 
Chaim)  Telephone 718-793-4415.  All catering Yoshon under the hashgocho of 
the Vaad Harabonim of Queens.



Spiga pasta and cous cous are Yoshon under the hashgocho of the Star K of 
Baltimore.



Twizzler and other licorice products from YS Hersey all use winter wheat. 
If there is malt in the ingredients,, the Chodosh code for Jan 06 
is  58LYU7A, where the last 2 characters are important.7=year+1, A=month in 
alph. order, day of month not used.





-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.capalon.com/pipermail/chodosh/attachments/20060222/a6d415d6/attachment.html>